CODE Team arrests Bend man on meth-dealing charges after a brief chase on foot at NE Bend hotel
(Update: More details of last year's arrest, link to previous story)
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – A Bend man facing pending drug charges from 10 months ago was arrested again late Tuesday evening after a short police chase at a northeast Bend hotel. Drug agents said he possessed a “substantial quantity of methamphetamine,” and more was found in his hotel room.
The arrest of Justin Thomas Joseph Polit. 45, on drug possession and delivery charges and unlawful possession of a firearm resulted from a long-term investigation by the Central Oregon Drug Enforcement Team, Lieutenant Mike Landolt said.
Last April 5, the CODE Team had served another search warrant and arrested Polit on charges involving cocaine manufacture, possession and delivery, Landolt said. Court records show that case is still pending.
Polit was arrested in a guns-drawn traffic stop, drug agents said at the time, and a raid on his home turned up a large quantity of cocaine, along with numerous guns, firearm suppressors, silencers and a 3D printer used to make illegal gun parts.
After that arrest and over the past several months, Landolt said CODE detectives continued to get information that Polit was still selling drugs in the area. He said drug agents continued to gather evidence and investigate Polit’s alleged distribution of illegal narcotics.
Late Tuesday, drug agents applied for and were granted a search warrant for Polit and his hotel room near NE 27th Street and Highway 20, conducting surveillance of the location.
Drug agents saw Polit leaving and tried to contact him, but he ran, Landolt said. An arrest team was able to capture Polit after a short foot pursuit.
They said he possessed a substantial quantity of methamphetamine and a concealed, homemade and 3D-printed pistol frame, without a serial number.
Drug agents also searched his hotel room and found more meth, packaging material, a scale, cash, a dagger and evidence of drug distribution, the lieutenant said.
Court records show Polit was arraigned Wednesday on Class C felony counts of possession “substantial quantities” of meth, a commercial drug offense, and attempted delivery of the drug, and the unlawful possession of a firearm, a Class A misdemeanor. He is due back in court next Tuesday for arraignment on an expected grand jury indictment, and to enter a plea on last year's charges.
Polit remained held on $250,000 bail Wednesday night at the Deschutes County Jail, records showed. Landolt said more charges might be filed in the case, as the investigation is ongoing.
